InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Delusions ❯ Chapter Twenty-Six ( Chapter 26 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Author’s Notes:

 

 

 

 

Delusions

 

Chapter Twenty-Six

 

Rated - M (for suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, and coarse language)

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

 

 

 

Sunset loomed on the horizon, a spectacle of soft orange, muted pink, and hazy purple painted the western sky. The local fauna was hushed as they sensed the somber mood of those gathered on the outskirts of Naraku’s misappropriated domain. It was almost a peaceful scene but that belied the inner turmoil that roiled up within Inuyasha.

 

In the distance a small swift rode currents through the air, aiming straight for the small clearing where Inuyasha had taken up a temporary residence. Shippō had returned from scouting the area where Naraku lied in wait for them, quickly dropping his shape-shifted appearance. He advised Inuyasha on the layout of the structure and the surrounding area. When questioned if he saw anyone in the vicinity, Shippo shook his head; knowing the question inside the question, ‘did he see Kagome?’. Inuyasha furrowed his brow and cursed under his breath. He could sense his power dulling as the new moon was on the horizon and given his present circumstances, that disturbed him.

 

He wanted nothing more than to lash out at anyone or anything that so much as looked at him funny. He was having an increasingly difficult time curbing his temper. His ears twitched at every sound and his eyes darted back and forth while he worried that Naraku may strike while he was weak. He feared that Naraku would dangle Kagome on a string and torment her while he was powerless to stop him. However, Inuyasha had a gut feeling that Naraku wouldn’t strike now. The bastard would wait until Inuyasha made his first move and then use everything in his arsenal to strip Inuyasha bare and destroy him at his core.

 

The fact that he could do nothing but wait agitated him as well. Presently, he sat leaning against an outcropping with his eyes closed. He could hear the others murmuring to each other, but mostly there was silence. They could sense the stress the hanyo was under and avoided angering him further with idle chit-chat. At least the woodland creatures could steer clear of the area, leaving Shippo, Miroku, and Sango to tiptoe around a hanyo who was not afraid to lash out, as evidenced when Shippo tried to joke around ended up sporting a lump to his head.

 

The last rays of sunlight shot up and finally disappeared over the horizon. Inuyasha had opened his eyes to watch the sun’s final descent and slowly, but surely he felt his yoki drain from his body. Colors dulled, sounds became muted, smells were practically nonexistent, and he felt physically vulnerable. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he resigned himself to pass the night powerless. This one night a month was when he was the most vulnerable, so in his youth, he had made a habit to hide away and trust no one. After Kagome had entered his life, he learned to trust and rely on others to protect him. Even in her absence, he allowed himself to be surrounded by his companions during this time. He was gracious that no one ever thought to mention his vulnerabilities. They had that much tact at least. Those except for the likes of Shippo, who was a notorious glutton for punishment that Inuyasha had no issue extracting. The young trickster found it humorous to draw attention to Inuyasha’s flaws which always solicited backhanded comments or even a backhand if the kitsune was close enough.

 

The evening wore on, uneventful, and the companions had a quick meal and rested lightly. Everyone was on edge thinking that Naraku may strike so no one was able to be completely at ease. Shippo stood guard so the humans, Miroku, Sango and now Inuyasha could try to get some rest. Even though their eyes were closed, their sleep was not deep. An unknown noise or a signal from their lookout would prompt them to rise ready for battle. Inuyasha did dose, though. It was quiet that night and there was no sign of Naraku or Kagome. He tried to stay awake, but the silence that permeated through the area lulled him into small lapses of unconsciousness.

 

The night of the new moon was nearing to an end when Inuyasha’s eyes popped open and he became fully alert. He looked around to see his companions still sleeping and Shippo off at the edge of their makeshift camp, staring into the distance. He was glad that he was able to put his trust in the Kitsune. Shippo was young, but his kitsune training had really helped him to develop his abilities which coupled nicely with on-the-job training he received when he went around with Miroku or Sango to exterminate the surrounding area of nuisance yokai. It was comforting to be able to rely on others when he could no longer be the one doing the protecting.

 

He wondered why he had startled awake so suddenly. Stretching his limbs, he yearned for his yoki to return so that he wouldn't feel practically naked and so vulnerable. Inuyasha scanned the sky and mentally judged that there may be another 15 minutes before sunrise. ‘I guess Naraku wasn’t going to attack after all,’ he thought to himself. He sighed in relief and approached Shippo. The young yokai glanced at him and grinned. “Guess we worried for nothin,” he said.

 

Inuyasha did not return Shippo’s elation and only nodded slightly. “You should go and do another run before we make our move,” Inuyasha instructed. Shippo looked over at Miroku and Sango, who still slumbered, before returning a confused gaze to Inuyasha. “Are you sure it’s ok for me to leave?” he asked, gesturing to the horizon where the sun teased its approach. “Yeah,” Inuyasha responded, “If he was gonna attack, he would have done it by now.”

 

“I guess,” Shippo said with uncertainty. The idea of leaving Inuyasha and the others unguarded while they dozed seemed to trouble him. “The sun is rising, it’s fine. Plus, I think we can handle ourselves for a few minutes if something were to happen. We’ve been doing it for years,” Inuyasha informed. It’s not as if they were incapable of warding off demon attacks. It was the impending attack from their penultimate enemy that had them second guessing everything.

 

Shippo shrugged, “If you say so.” He shifted into his swift form and caught the wind currents before speeding off north towards where Naraku lied in wait. Inuyasha watched him as he became a speck in the sky and disappeared. Even though his hearing was still dull, he heard the sleeping sounds of Miroku and Sango. He figured he would let them rest until Shippo returned. It shouldn’t take him too long to scout around and he needed his companions in tip-top shape. They wouldn’t be any use if they dragged from exhaustion. He turned around to walk back over to the spot he had claimed as his own during their short time there but brisk movement caught his eye in the distance. On alert, he assessed the need to wake the monk and the exterminator, but the thought was strewn aside when he saw a flash of red in the predawn light. His heart fluttered as realization and recognition washed over him.

 

Inuyasha’s eyes darted, scanning the area for what, or who, he thought he saw. He ran over to the edge of the clearing and breached the wooded area in search of the figure he glimpsed. He had gone about 20 yards before he saw it again, the red and white robes of a miko. Had Kikyo not been dead, he would have initially assumed she was gracing him with her presence, but he knew it had to be “her”; Kagome. How was she here? Was she ok? Why was she hiding? None of it made any sense, but he was drawn to her...to save her from Naraku.

 

Had she escaped from that demon asshole and made her way here? Why was she wearing miko garments? “Kagome?” he called tentatively. He paused and waited for a response, his earlier elation melting away to apprehension.

 

She stepped quietly out from behind a tree and regarded Inuyasha with a cool gaze. He wanted to run to her and scoop her up in her arms, but he hesitated once he noticed that she was actually gazing at him with open contempt; her eyes narrowed and a near scowl marring her lips. “Kagome?” he called again.

 

“Inuyasha,” she answered disdainfully. She stood still and tense. It took a nearly a moment for Inuyasha to register that Kagome had a bow gripped in her left hand and a quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder. She squeezed the bow in her hand as if she were fighting the urge to do something, her knuckles white from the grip. “Why did you come?” she demanded.

 

“What?” Inuyasha asked, utterly confused. “I came to save you,” he offered almost meekly. Something was horribly wrong. Naraku must have done something to her, he thought to himself. He had to just get to her and she would snap out of this, surely, so he took a step forward.

 

No sooner than he lifted his foot, Kagome swiftly drew an arrow and aimed it at Inuyasha. “Don't take another step closer,” she hissed. He threw his hands up in the air, palms out, “Hey! What's going on?”

 

“Don't play stupid, Inuyasha. I know exactly why you're here,” she said.

 

“Then why the hell are you pointing that arrow at me, dammit?” Inuyasha asked. His chest tightened when he saw the corner of her mouth lift in a sardonic smile. “This isn't you, Kagome. Naraku has done something to you. You're not yourself.”

 

“Fuck you, dog. You know nothing about me,” she spat, the half smile dropping from her face. “You fucked up by coming here,” she threatened.

 

Dawn was moments away and Inuyasha could nearly feel his power returning. He just needed to draw out whatever this was until then and he could outmaneuver Kagome and figure out what was going on. “I don't know what you think is happening, but Naraku has gotten inside of your head and fucked things up. Try and remember.”

 

“Oh, I remember everything clearly,” she answered with certainty. She stared at him, tears welling up in her eyes. “All too clearly,” she said with a quiver of her lip.

 

“You remember our daughter?” he asked, hoping the memory of the girl would snap her out of whatever spell she was under. But the question did not cause her to falter. “I have no daughter,” she said, a little too quickly.

 

“Amaya,” he offered. Kagome eyed him dubiously. “You are so full of shit,” she said, “That's quite a pitiful attempt to distract me. Even for you.”

 

It was at that moment that he saw Naraku appear and walk up to where Kagome stood. ‘I knew that fucking bastard would show up,’ he snarled internally. Naraku placed his hand on the small of Kagome's back, almost affectionately, and Inuyasha could see her lean into his embrace though she never dropped her aim.

 

“What the fuck is this shit?” Inuyasha yelled. He really had not anticipated what was unfolding. Torture, yes. Humiliation, yes. But he thought Naraku would do those things to Kagome in an attempt to enrage Inuyasha. Instead, those were channeled through Kagome.

 

Naraku smiled a knowing smile and bent down to kiss Kagome's neck. She smiled at the display, still not taking her eyes or aim away from Inuyasha. She seemed to enjoy his confusion and revulsion as much as Naraku was. “Come, my lady. We have work to do. We shall deal with the hanyou later,” Naraku said. It was clear that Naraku was using this opportunity to toy with him.

 

“No,” she said. “I want to deal with him now.” She drew back on the bowstring and released the arrow. It seemed to have happened in slow motion, but it was only a matter of seconds when Inuyasha felt himself being pushed backward and a pain erupting from his chest. He glanced down and saw the arrow protruding from where his heart was located. His hand went involuntarily to the arrow and he clutched it as he stumbled to the ground, no longer able to stand.

 

Kagome walked over to where he had fallen and spit on him. Naraku stepped behind her and grabbed her by her wrist, pulling her forcefully around. “I don't deal with insolence lightly,” he said. Kagome pouted a little. “I'm sorry. I lost control of myself for a moment. Please forgive me? Plus, he is like a cockroach that just refuses to die...even when his head is cut off.” Naraku looked back down at Inuyasha, seemingly assessing the situation.

 

His vision began to blur and even though his heart had been punctured, he felt the muscle struggle to pound around the splintered wood arrow. Before he blacked out completely he was able to glimpse Naraku pointedly look at him before drawing Kagome close into an embrace and lowering his head to place his lips upon hers. “You bastard,” Inuyasha said feebly before he lost his battle with consciousness.

 

 

 

It was the voices of Miroku and Sango that roused him. “Inuyasha!” “Inuyasha!”

 

He gasped as he came awake, ripping the arrow from his chest. “Kagome!” He screamed, gripping the hole in his chest.

 

“Inuyasha, what happened?!” Sango asked. Miroku picked up the discarded arrow to examine it. “You were shot in the heart, but by who?”

 

“It was her…” he trailed off. He stared at the ground and felt a fool.

 

“Kagome?” Sango asked. She shook her head in disbelief. “No, she would never do that.”

 

“Naraku did something to her. They practically made out in front of me as I bled out,” Inuyasha informed them. “He was here as well?” Sango asked.

 

“I never remembered the Lady Kagome to be so vulnerable to Naraku’s influences,” Miroku began. “Are you sure it was her?” he asked. “He is quite adept at shapeshifting and he has done it before if you don’t remember.”

 

Inuyasha shot a pointed glare at the monk, “Yeah, I think I would fucking remember that!”

 

Miroku exhaled and discarded the arrow, “No need to get testy, this situation is quite precarious. We just want to ensure we are not led down the same road a second time.”

 

“Yeah, well, I’m sure it was her,” Inuyasha said. He knew in his heart that it was her, and it made the actual hole in his chest seem even more ironic.

 

Sango looked down at the arrow that Miroku had thrown down, “It doesn’t add up, though.” Both men looked at her to continue, “She could have killed you if she had wanted. But she didn’t.”

 

“She made it quite clear that she wanted me dead,” Inuyasha said. The hole in his chest had begun to heal. If he’d been shot moments earlier, he would have bled out while still a mortal and if he’d been shot with the purification arrow while a hanyou, he would have been purified and still bled out. “But Naraku didn’t,” he added.

 

“Either way, it is not her,” Sango tried to defend her friend. Both Miroku and Sango could tell that Kagome’s actions were an unexpected move and had the impact that Naraku must have been looking for. “This is part of his plan, to wound you this way. He is a master manipulator. Don’t let yourself be manipulated again. Think of your daughter.”

 

His daughter, the girl he had not known existed but had unexpectedly shown up and been thrust into his life. He had pushed her from his mind when he sent her away, trusting her to Sorin and that she had found her way home safely. He was glad he had sent her away so she could not witness her mother as she currently was. He promised he would find her and save her and he intended to keep that promise.

 

He was angry with Sango for being right. He wanted to be hurt, but he couldn’t allow himself to be. That’s what Naraku wanted. “Let’s not waste any time then. They are expecting us and I would hate to be so rude and show up late,” he said. He stood up and looked at the sky.

 

 

 

Next time on Delusions…...

 

Shippo could be seen flying back down towards the others. Before he reached the ground he shifted back into his usual form and looked at everyone. “What did I miss?” he asked, eyeing the bloody hole in Inuyasha’s chest.

 

“Everything. How convenient for you to be away?” Inuyasha asked while knuckling Shippo’s head. “Wha?! You told me to go!” Shippo yelled defensively. “And you better have picked up some good intel,” Inuyasha said, folding his arms.

 

“Nothing has changed, it is still ominously quiet. I can feel the dark energy pulsing from the area even more now than the night before. I think they are preparing something…”